A Las Vegas teenager who shot and killed his father after being punished over his digital device use will avoid prison time, instead receiving probation in a controversial ruling that has stunned many.
On Friday, Aug. 14, 16-year-old Lincoln Peterson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with the use of a deadly weapon for fatally shooting his father, 45-year-old Jeremy Peterson, inside their home on Tampa Court on Dec. 28, 2024. At the time of the killing, Lincoln was just 15.
Clark County District Judge Tierra Jones sentenced him to five years of probation and a suspended sentence of three to seven and a half years in prison, giving the teen what prosecutors called “a second chance at life.”
Police responded to the Peterson home after a panicked 911 call from Lincoln’s sister, who told dispatchers her brother had shot their dad. “He shot and killed my dad,” she cried in the audio obtained by KLAS. “This isn’t real. This isn’t real. Help.”
According to court records, the shooting followed a heated argument over poor grades and Lincoln’s continued use of electronic devices despite being grounded. Jeremy Peterson reportedly accused his son of sneaking access to banned electronics and cut him off completely. During the confrontation, Lincoln’s mother allegedly struck him with a belt, after which the teen grabbed a gun from atop a dryer and fired, claiming later he didn’t realize he had hit anyone.
In court, Lincoln expressed remorse. “None of this was ever my intention,” he said softly. “I regret all of it.”
Jeremy Peterson’s widow, Abigail, gave an emotional statement, revealing the complexity of her grief: “Nothing compares to losing the love of my life, my husband, and knowing that my own son’s action was the cause. But unless you’ve stood in my place, you cannot understand the depth of the pain that coexists with forgiveness and love.”
Lincoln’s sister also spoke through tears, mourning the loss of her father but expressing forgiveness: “I will not get to have a wedding where he walks me down the aisle. I will not get to introduce my children to him. But as much as my family is torn apart, there is reconciliation, and I do believe in forgiveness.”
Under the strict terms of his probation, Lincoln must complete counseling, stay sober, hand over passwords for all devices and social media accounts, follow a curfew, and obtain his high school diploma or GED.
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Author: thedailycrime1
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